Separator for removing water from gasoline



y 20, 1952 A. L. GRISE 2,597,475

SEPARATQR FOR REMOVING WATER FROM GASOLINE Filed March 9, 1949 2 SHEET5-SHEET 1 INVENTOR Auwzo L. $2165 ATTOR EYS May 20, 1952 A. L. GRISE SEPARATOR FOR REMOVING WATER FROM GASOLINE Filed March 9, 1949 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEET 2 lNVE NTOR ALFRED Z. G

BY 9 TORN Patented May 20, 1952 SEPARATOR FOR -REMOVING WATER FROM GAS OLINE- Alfred L. Gris,=:,. Springfield; Mass .assignor to Gilbert; &-- Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield Mass, a corporation of .Mas

sachusetts Application March 9, 1949; Serial-.No: 80,1437;

2 claims. (o1. 2107 50- This invention relates toan. improved; separa-tor 'for-removing-water and, also if-desired, air from 'gasoliner The particular l separator shown is adapted :to be int-erposed in a'gasoline pipe: line, such for example-as 'thegasoline-supply line for service insta-llations at aviation fie1ds,- whereit is essen tial l-to' eliminate all water from the gasoline:

The invention has for an object the provision in a separator of a water-coalescingroll-ofme tallic fabric, which roll serves to efficientlycollect thewater present in the gasoline and enable thesame to beseparated from the gasoline with apractically perfect recovery of the water.-

The'invention also has for an object to provide Water coalescing rolls for the purpose described, which are not readily breakable or disintegratable, which may be easily removed; cleaned and replaced, and which maybeused overand over again with a very long life of useful service;

The inventionwill' be disclosed with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view. of a separator embodying theinvention;

Fig; .2-is a crosssectional view taken on-the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 3 .is aside elevational view, partly in. section, of the water release valve;

Fig. 4 is a top plan viewof such valve;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary-plan view ofthe tubularknitted metal fabric from which the watercoalescing'rolls are made;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective viewshowing-how-the fabric of Fig.- 5 is crimpedprior to winding it up-into roll form; and

Fig. 7 is an end View of one of thewatercoalescing-rolls.

Referring to these drawings: the separator includes a horizontally-disposed cylindrical tank l,- havi-ng a fixed head '2 'at oneend and a removable head 3 at the other' end suitably fastened to a flange 4 on the tank, as by the cap; screws 5, which-clamp the marginal portions ofhead' 3 against a" gasket 6 and the latter against flange 4.- Anainlet I is provided'centrally'of head- 3. This tank is supported in any; suitable 'wayias by-the pairs:. of=':legs 8,= welded or otherwise fixed to the tan-k;

An-outlet'for gasoline is--provided in: the top; oftank near the head 2. This outlet consists oral-passage fliinxa. caprB; fixed as by screws -Il] withuan'iinterposedgasket H to-a ring lz-weldedto the tank. The cap, 9 has fixed thereto a verticallygdependingpipe IS; the upper end of which is: in: constant communication with passage 8 exterior periphery of which is fixed the upper end of :a depending cylindrical cage- I 5, which has a -closedilower head- 16 and aplurality-of openings; l1 'inlits ;.periphery-. Fixed to this cage is a thinegauge cylindrical screen I8=-of-fine mesh, sayi to theinch,- and preferably of Monel metal. Gasoline'leaves theseparatorby passing through the screen; thence into pipes! 3 and throughthe latter tooutlet 8. 7

An outlet-:ior separated water isprovidedin the-bottomoof tank l near-the head-2. A depending hollow? cylinder; I9 iis secured, to .tank'. I andwextends downwardly therefrom, terminating with; a flange 20-to which ahead 2| with an in.- terposed gasket 22 is ,fixed;by.screws-23;- The hollow -cylinder l9 :forms within it a trap "chamher-24; Inv the head 2! isaan-outlet passage .25 which communicates with a passageZB "in a member 2 l'Tfixed-to the inner face .of 'head ZL. The passage 26-.is-controlled by a valve. 28,. which .is operatedth rough a .linkage to be later described from a float 29, which sinks. in gasoline and rises in Water. The valve 28 will thus be closed until watenaocumulates in trap chamber. 24 to a pre deter-mined level}. when r the float will vrise and open valve 23, allowing, water to drain out throughpassages 26land..25.until;the water in such chamber: drops .to. the. predetermined. level, when valve 28 will close.

Th' e- -tanksl has an outlet 3B- in..its upper end for the .escapeof air or: other. gases which becomesseparated from the liquid; This outlet is formedin:-a -cap-3l fixed .to tank. I and covering an opening 32 'formedin thetank: The passage 30 communicates .witha passageh33 formed in a memberBQ fiXed-tothe inner-faceof cap 3L A valve 35 operable-by a float vilii through a linkage to bedescribed, controls passage .33, openin ggthe latter to releaseai-r .or gases r-when theili'quid falls to .ampredeterminedlevelandr closing the valve when .the-liquid rises toanotherpredetermined level.

Thewspaoe in-rtank l beneath the air release valve constitutes --a settling or separating chainber.-3l.- Inthe-bottom of tank-I -immediately.be-. neath this chamberis a series of longitudinally spaced: openings .38, leading intoaan underlying trough 39:which isfixed -to tankl and slopes downwardly toward. the-water- --trap-- chamber 24,. communicatingwith the latter by meansof a hole llL l3etween' theinlet -1 and the settling.- chamber. 31 aresarrangeda plurality-(seven as shown) o f--'- 3 foraminous water-coalescing rolls 4|, through the manifold interstices of which the liquid must flow in order to reach chamber 31 and any of the outlets described. Conveniently, these rolls may be held together by the bolt 42 and nut 43 so that they may be placed in or removed from the tank as a unit, when the head 3 is removed. The head of bolt 42 is preferably formed with an eye 44 to facilitate removal of the group of the rolls. While a single roll equal in length to the combined lengths of the seven rolls shown might be used, the plurality of rolls is preferable as tending to stagger the passages in adjacent rolls.

Each roll is made up of a suitable length of fabric made up of fine metal wire. In the preferred form shown, a tubular knitted metal fabric is used. A portion of the fabric strip is shown at 45 in Fig. 5. Very fine wire, of non-corrosive metal, such as example as Monel metal, is knitted as indicated at 46, into a tubular fabric. This fabric is then flattened down, forming a twoply strip. Then this two-ply strip is crimped in a manner shown at 41 in Fig. 6. The crimping lines are preferably disposed at an acute angle to the sides of the strip. To avoid confusion of lines, the knitting is shown separately in Fig. and the crimping in Fig. 6. The strip, formed as described, is wound up, as indicated in Fig. 7, into roll form. The roll is tightly wound and the ridges of one convolution fit into the hollows of an adjacent convolution. A thick roll of a large number of convolutions is thus formed and it presents a compact mass of interfitting and intertangled wires, providing a very great number of very small interstices. The exceedingly small passages through this wire mass are necessarily exceedingly tortuous.

The roll, thus constructed, is a standard commercial article, which has been used before to prevent the passage of entrained gases in liquids. As heretofore used, so far as I am aware, the liquid, by gravity flow, passes through one of these rolls and any vapor or gas entrained in the liquid will be prevented from passing by the roll.

In the present application, these rolls act to coalesce the water particles, contained in emulsion, in gasoline. Gasoline with a small percentage of water, seldom over 3% by volume, is fed into the inlet 1 of tank I under substantial pressure, say for example, pounds per square inch, and forced through the several rolls 4|. The velocity of the liquid in the feed pipe will be around 125 gallons per minute and such velocity is substantially reduced in tank I, say to 3.5 gallons per minute. However, the liquid is under substantial pressure and any air and any water entrained in the gasoline passes through the rolls.'

These rolls, as used herein, function to cause the exceedingly small droplets of water contained in emulsion in the gasoline to coalesce. Tiny droplets merge one with another, forming larger ones, which in turn merge with others and so on until drops of water are formed, which are large enough to drop by their weight to the bottom of the tank. Separation of fluids will take place by gravity in chamber 31. Air or gases rise to the top of chamber 31 to be released from time to time by float-operated valve through the outlet 30. The large drops of water, formed by coalescing small droplets, sink to the bottom of chamber 31 and are conducted to trap chamber 24, to be released from time to time by floatactuated valve 28. I The gasoline passes through the screen 18 and thence out through outlet 8.

The screen I 8 serves to hold back any last traces of water contained in the gasoline as a very fine mist which clings to the surface of the screen and rolls down the latter into the tank. Separation of water from gasoline in tests of this separator have shown that 99.9996 per cent of the water in the gasoline has been removed.

The float-actuated release valves, above briefly described as to their function, are shown in full detail in Figs. 3 and 4. While these valves may be made in various ways and their particular construction is not an essential part of this invention, the construction shown has been found very effective and will be briefly described as an illustrative example of one suitable type. Both release valves are alike and one only will be described. The release valve 28 has the upper end of its stem slotted to receive the intermediate portion of a lever 48 and the latter is pivotally connected at 49 to the stem. Lever 48 is fulcrummed at one end on a pin 50 in bracket 21. The other end of the lever is forked and the two arms of the fork are connected by a pin 5|, one to each of two levers 52, which are fulcrumed at one end on a pin 53 in bracket 21. The other end of the lever 52 is connected as by the member 54 to float 29. The air release valve is constructed in the same way, difiering only in the shape of its float and the manner in which it is fixed to lever 52.

The use of water-coalescing rolls, constructed as described, of fine wire of metal, such as Monel metal, which is non-corrosive in gasoline and Water, is the characteristic feature of this invention. A large mass of fine metal wires, closely packed and interwoven and intertwined, provides a multiplicity of very fine tortuous passages through which the liquid must pass. There will be no straight channels such as would permit relatively free flow of liquid at particular points through the wire mass. Uniformity of flow is effected. In the example shown, the seven rolls present a combined length of nearly sixteen inches of closely-packed, tangled, wire mass, through which the liquid must pass and the emulsion is subjected to intimate contact with this mass and a very effective coalescing of the water contained in the emulsion effected. This is effected with only a small drop in pressure, about three pounds, in the present example. The rolls have long life. Particles of the wire do not break off to be carried by the liquid and cause trouble. The rolls can be removed, unwound and cleaned, whenever necessary, then re-wound and replaced in the separator tank. The rolls should last indefinitely.

Thus, a very efficient separator has been provided having water-coalescing rolls of a construction combining convenient removal and cleaning and replacement with long life and very effective water-coalescing action.

I claim:

1. A water separator, adapted to be inserted in a gasoline pipe line and comprising, a tank having a hollow cylindrical member with its axis horizontally disposed and having heads closing opposite ends of said member, one of said heads being easily removable, said tank having an inlet and an outlet near opposite ends thereof for connection to said line, said cylindrical member having a portion of substantial length and uniform diameter, and a series comprising a plurality of cylindrical rolls of fabric formed of fine metal Wires and mounted in said portion one after another with the adjacent end faces of successive l 5 rolls in abutment and their peripheries closely fitting the peripheral wall of said portion, each roll composed of a fabric strip of a width equal to the length of the roll, such strip being rolled up to a diameter such as to closely fit said portion and having adjacent convolutions interlocked and intertangled and presenting a compacted mass of metal with manifold tortuous interstices, said tank having in its bottom at a location beyond the last roll of said series in the direction of flow through said tank an outlet for water, the portion of said tank between the removable head and the first roll of the series having a diameter at least as great as that of the rolls and being unobstructed to enable facile removal of the rolls.

2. A water separator, adapted to be inserted in a gasoline pipe line and comprising, a tank having a, hollow cylindrical member with its axis horizontally disposed and having heads closing opposite ends of said member, one of said heads being easily removable, said tank having an inlet and an outlet near opposite ends thereof for connection to said line, said cylindrical member having a portion of substantial length and uniform diameter, a series comprising a plurality of cylindrical rolls of fabric formed of fine metal wires and mounted in said portion one after another with the adjacent end faces of successive rolls in abutment and their peripheries closely fitting the peripheral wall of said portion, each roll composed of a fabric strip of a width equal to the length of the roll, such strip being rolled up to a diameter such as to closely fit said portion and having adjacent oonvolutions inter- 6 locked and intertangled and presenting a compacted mass of metal with manifold tortuous interstices, said tank having in its bottom at a location beyond the last roll of said series in the direction of flow through said tank an outlet for water, a member extending longitudinally through all rolls of said series, and means on said last-named member for clamping said rolls together in end to end abutment, said last-named member having a part which is located in the space between the first roll of the series and the removable head and which may be conveniently grasped to pull the rolls as an assembled unit out of one end of the tank after the last-named head has been removed, the portion of said tank between the removable head the first roll of the series having a diameterat least as great as that of the rolls and being unobstructed to enable facile removal of the rolls.

ALFRED L. GRIsE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 924,524 Zerkowitz June 8, 1909 1,566,088 Greene Dec. 15, 1925 1,652,309 Kingdon Dec. 13, 1927 1,714,825 Stephen May 28, 1929 2,405,838 Lawson et a1 Aug. 13, 1946 2,412,841 Spangler Dec. 17, 1946 

1. A WATER SEPARATOR, ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN A GASOLINE PIPE LINE AND COMPRISING, A TANK HAVING A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL MEMBER WITH ITS AXIS HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND HAVING HEADS CLOSING OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID MEMBER, ONE OF SAID HEADS BEING EASILY REMOVABLE, SAID TANK HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET NEAR OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF FOR CONNECTION TO SAID LINE, SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A PORTION OF SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH AND UNIFORM DIAMETER, AND A SERIES COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL ROLLS OF FABRIC FORMED OF FINE METAL WIRES AND MOUNTED IN SAID PORTION ONE AFTER ONE OTHER WITH THE ADJACENT END FACES OF SUCCESSIVE ROLLS IN ABUTMENT AND THEIR PERIPHERIES CLOSELY FITTING THE PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID PORTION, EACH ROLL COMPOSED OF A FABRIC STRIP OF A WIDTH EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE ROLL, SUCH STRIP BEING ROLLED UP TO A DIAMETER SUCH AS TO CLOSELY FIT SAID PORTION AND HAVING ADJACENT CONVOLUTIONS INTERLOCKED AND INTERTANGLED AND PRESENTING A COM- 